Rural Youth Drain: Attitudes, Behaviours & Perceptions
Author(s): K. Kirstein S. Bandranaike
The regional youth exodus and the depopulation of the bush is a major component of contemporary population debate. It is presumed that rural youth are making a free choice to leave rural areas for urban centres. This paper focuses on the Australian rural youth drain with reference to Richmond Shire, Queensland. The research examines the factors influencing rural youth decisions to migrate. An understanding of this process has been developed through unstructured interviews with rural youth previously from Richmond Shire and now living in Townsville. Qualitative analysis explores youth attitudes, behaviours and perceptions of the rural youth drain. This research reports that although rural youth are leaving for opportunities offered elsewhere, their choice to move is influenced by the parental household.